BLAINE GABBERT QB - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - Ingles

BLAINE GABBERT

Q. Can you talk about the labor stuff, coming up to this - was that a concern of yours?
BLAINE GABBERT: Not at all. I'm speaking for every player in that Draft that they are happy that they reached somewhat of an agreement and things are going smoothly.

Q. Are you excited to get down to Jacksonville?
BLAINE GABBERT: I'm excited that this process has come to an end and now I get to go back and look at the playbook and play football.

Q. The University of Missouri and the players that have been coming out of there the last five or six seasons, talk about what the coach has done and instilled in you guys?
BLAINE GABBERT: He's given us an opportunity to play at the next level and the coaching staff there puts you in the right position to make plays, make a name for yourself and have this opportunity. I know Aldon [Smith] and I are extremely fortunate that we did play at Missouri and the coaching staff treated us wonderfully and really helped us come from a high school senior to a big time college player to now being in the NFL.

Q. Are you looking forward to the challenge of playing in the NFL?
BLAINE GABBERT: I am excited to get down there, learn the playbook, and compete with all of the other quarterbacks on the roster. Like I said, whatever the coaches and I guess the people in that organization deem necessary for what quarterback to play, that's a decision that they have to make.

Q. What about playing at the pro level, the challenges you'll face, the speed of the game, reading the defenses, processing everything. It's so much quicker. How are you going to prepare?
BLAINE GABBERT: I consider myself a sound decision‑maker. It's a process. Once you get your feet wet in the games, you're going to adjust. College is a pretty fast game. You guys don't realize it. It's going to be definitely fun competing out there week‑in and week‑out, the best athletes in the world.

Q. Considering you were the best or second‑best quarterback in the draft ‑‑ did you think top 10?
BLAINE GABBERT: The mind‑set I came into the Draft with was, whatever team wants to draft you is the one that wants to draft you the most. I wanted to have fun with the process and don't too stressed out about it and, thankfully I was drafted No. 10 by the Jaguars.

Q. What did you study?
BLAINE GABBERT: I was afinance major.

Q. What do you see yourself doing that after football?
BLAINE GABBERT: The biggest thing, I'd like to finish my degree in the off‑season and that's important and I'm close to doing that. At the same time my focus is on football right now. I want to get in the playbook and learn that as fast as possible.

Q. Having a top tight end is a great safety valve and comfort. What do you know about Marcedes [Lewis]?
BLAINE GABBERT: He's a great player, having a big athletic tight end like that helps you out. We had a great tight end in Missouri, as well and having a guy that can get a mismatch on a linebacker and stretch the middle of the field puts stress on the defense. Any time you have a guy like that, like Marcedes, that's definitely a comfort for the quarterback.

Q. And the competition against the Colts?
BLAINE GABBERT: It's going to be fun. They are a great football team. I've been getting questions about playing against J.J. - we are great buds and we are going to compete.

Q. What was the most stressful part of the week so far?
BLAINE GABBERT: Nothing. It's a fun process. Not many people get to enjoy this, and like I said, it's very cool and I'm just staying relaxed, got drafted, talking to you guys and it's a great deal.

Q. Obviously you want to win for your team first, but in a few years when I draft you in fantasy football, will that be cool?
BLAINE GABBERT: Oh, that's up to you guys. Playing football will be fun.

Q. Inaudible.
BLAINE GABBERT: At the end of the day football is football. You have to be able to process information quickly, especially being a quarterback, you have to learn the playbook faster than most people and you have to know where everybody is on the field. It's your responsibility to align the team in the right place and being a smart guy opponent the field and in school helps you pick up things and understand defenses faster.

Q. Inaudible?
BLAINE GABBERT: The skinny post, we ran a bunch at Missouri, run the seam -- it's fun to throw.

Q. How much did you get to see of Brad Smith coming in before you started to play?
BLAINE GABBERT: He was one of the greatest quarterbacks in college football of all time, the records that he broke, numbers that he put up were unbelievable, and he's having a great NFL career with the Jets.

Q. Don't you wish could you have been drafted in a bigger market?
BLAINE GABBERT: Jacksonville is a great place and I'm anxious to get down there, anxious to make that my home. I love Florida. I grew up down there on the Atlantic coast. Anxious to get down there and have fun.

Q. Who was your favorite quarterback growing up and did you model yourself after him?
BLAINE GABBERT: I loved watching the game. We had Rams season tickets so watching Kurt Warner on Sundays was definitely special, watching them win the Super Bowl. Seeing all the quarterbacks in the NFL, they are different and we are just trying to take pieces of everybody's game.

Q. What advantage do you feel you have going into the pro game?
BLAINE GABBERT: Mechanically you have to be able to throw the ball, that's extremely important for a quarterback, I was asked to do that about 500 times a year at Missouri. Being able to make a play out of the pocket when things break down. We know everything is not going to be perfect the game so you have to throw the ball on the run and make completions and plays.

Q. What do you feel you have to work on footwork‑wise?
BLAINE GABBERT: I think I have great feet.

Q. Do you think that the team took you with the idea that, hey, worst comes to worst, you can buy some time out of the pocket?
BLAINE GABBERT: That's part of any offense, nothing is going to be perfect on any snap and the ability to create something after your first, second, third reach ‑‑ it's extremely important for a quarterback to have that ability and move in and outside of the pocket is definitely one of my strengths.

Q. Some people say there are two types of quarterbacks: One makes the receivers better and that they need a good supporting cast. Do you feel that you're the type of quarterback that makes your receivers better?
BLAINE GABBERT: There's no question, and it's a collective group effort. They are going to make plays for and you, and you are going to make plays for them. They have to trust you, that you are going to put the ball in the position where they are not going to get killed and they are going to make plays after the catch.